Obama’s Multi-Agency War on Medical Marijuana

When Barack Obama ran for president he promised to respect the states’ medical marijuana laws. But since taking office Obama has been steadily using more and more parts of the federal government to wage a war on medical marijuana.

Under the Obama Administration at least a half dozen federal agencies are being deployed to harass patients, hamper dispensaries, prevent research and in general cripple medical marijuana in this country.

Internal Revenue Service – Last week the IRS ruled that an obscure tax provision from the 80’s means the California medical marijuana dispensary, Harborside Health Center, can’t claim the standard business deductions available to any normal company. Not being able to claim standard business deductions, such as payroll, rent and insurance, would make it practically impossible for dispensaries to function. If the ruling stands and applied broadly it would cripple the medical marijuana industry.

Drug Enforcement Administration – Despite the 2009 Ogden memo, DEA raids on medical marijuana dispensaries and growers that appear to have compiled with state law have continued.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Just last month the ATF declared that medical marijuana patients in states where the use of medical marijuana has been legalized can’t purchase firearms or ammunition. The ATF considers these state-sanctioned medical marijuana patients to be “addicts” and/or “unlawful drug users” and therefore are prohibited from owning a firearm under federal law. The ATF is now forcing individuals to choose between the medicine they depend on and their second amendment rights.

Department of Health and Human Services – In April the FDA approved a study to be done by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies into the potentially beneficial effects of marijuana in helping reduce the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. Post traumatic stress disorder is a serious and growing problem among American service members due to our decade long war in Afghanistan. Despite getting FDA approval, a few weeks ago HHS refused to provide the researchers with federally grown marijuana necessary to carry out the study. The bizarre conflicting justification for the HHS rejection gives the clear impression that the HHS is actively trying to block any research in the potential of marijuana to treat PTSD. Proof that medical marijuana can be beneficial to these suffering veterans could prompt more states to allow for it.

These simply can’t all be isolated incidents at different federal agencies. This is a government wide assault on medical marijuana laws that were approved by the voters in a dozen states. The evidence is clear that the Obama Administration is engaged in a multi-front attack on medical marijuana. That assault has significantly picked up steam in the past few months.

Obama’s Multi-Agency War on Medical Marijuana

When Barack Obama ran for president he promised to respect the states’ medical marijuana laws. But since taking office Obama has been steadily using more and more parts of the federal government to wage a war on medical marijuana.

Under the Obama Administration at least a half dozen federal agencies are being deployed to harass patients, hamper dispensaries, prevent research and in general cripple medical marijuana in this country.

Internal Revenue Service – Last week the IRS ruled that an obscure tax provision from the 80’s means the California medical marijuana dispensary, Harborside Health Center, can’t claim the standard business deductions available to any normal company. Not being able to claim standard business deductions, such as payroll, rent and insurance, would make it practically impossible for dispensaries to function. If the ruling stands and applied broadly it would cripple the medical marijuana industry.

Drug Enforcement Administration – Despite the 2009 Ogden memo, DEA raids on medical marijuana dispensaries and growers that appear to have compiled with state law have continued.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Just last month the ATF declared that medical marijuana patients in states where the use of medical marijuana has been legalized can’t purchase firearms or ammunition. The ATF considers these state-sanctioned medical marijuana patients to be “addicts” and/or “unlawful drug users” and therefore are prohibited from owning a firearm under federal law. The ATF is now forcing individuals to choose between the medicine they depend on and their second amendment rights.

Department of Health and Human Services – In April the FDA approved a study to be done by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies into the potentially beneficial effects of marijuana in helping reduce the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. Post traumatic stress disorder is a serious and growing problem among American service members due to our decade long war in Afghanistan. Despite getting FDA approval, a few weeks ago HHS refused to provide the researchers with federally grown marijuana necessary to carry out the study. The bizarre conflicting justification for the HHS rejection gives the clear impression that the HHS is actively trying to block any research in the potential of marijuana to treat PTSD. Proof that medical marijuana can be beneficial to these suffering veterans could prompt more states to allow for it.

These simply can’t all be isolated incidents at different federal agencies. This is a government wide assault on medical marijuana laws that were approved by the voters in a dozen states. The evidence is clear that the Obama Administration is engaged in a multi-front attack on medical marijuana. That assault has significantly picked up steam in the past few months.

Jon Walker

Jonathan Walker grew up in New Jersey. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 2006. He is now living in the Washington DC area. He created a politics and policy blog, The Walker Report (http://jwalkerreport.blogspot.com/).